Founded during the building of the Suez Canal, Ismailia sits on the line where the Sinai Peninsula connects with mainland Egypt. The city is between two lakes in the Nile Delta, Lake Timsah and Lake Manzala, which were once part of the Red Sea. Its historic town centre, refined colonial streets, sprawling lawns and stately villas reflect its development by its French inhabitants during the colonial era. There are many buildings that remain from this time, most notably the House of Ferdinand de Lesseps, which features an impeccably preserved, glass-encased carriage on its grounds. The Ismailia Museum is small but richly decorated with artefacts, including statues, scarabs and mosaics from Pharonic and Graeco-Roman times. The museum has a garden featuring a sphinx that dates back to the rule of Ramses II. Ismailia hotels allow visitors to intimately explore this little city, nicknamed the 'City of Roses'. There is a ferry that travellers can take across the Suez to continue journeying around the country. Charming and serene, the historically and architecturally unique city of Ismailia should not be missed.

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